


Otherworldly Encounters

by BlueEyedArcher



Category: Vampyr (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Alien Abduction, Alien Biology, Alien Sex, Alien Technology, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Issues, M/M, Medical Examination, Medical Procedures, Monsterfuckery, No vampires, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Shapeshifters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:08:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28360686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueEyedArcher/pseuds/BlueEyedArcher
Summary: Geoffrey grumbled, clutching the neck of the whiskey bottle like an old friend as he wavered in its ascent to his lips. He'd only been nursing it for half an hour since he'd wandered away from Carl after their impromptu spat. The "family" dinner turned bitter after the elder man started in on another one of his tangents about Geoffrey's wastefulness in regards to time and energy.He busted his arse through high school but because he failed to make honors, he obviously hadn't applied himself. He slogged through college and got a generic bachelor's degree in bonafide bullshit and tumbled out of there with less knowledge and more student debt than he could handle, stumbling his way into a nine to five job with thankless hours, an arsehole boss and obnoxious coworkers that make him want to scream his head off.Not much drove him to befriend a bottle but as of late, he and the glass vessel had become far closer than he'd like to admit as he relished in the familiar burn down his throat. Maybe drinking in a public park wasn't the most appropriate place to indulge in his bad decisions but he was too far past caring.
Relationships: Geoffrey McCullum & Jonathan Reid, Geoffrey McCullum/Jonathan Reid
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a random idea I had one day with the sudden urge to write Modern Day Geoffrey coming face to face with an alien being and the humor that unlike most sane people who would be concerned about such an encounter, it was a relief for the man desperate to escape his old mundane life on earth and find some excitement from an otherworldly source. This will slowly be updated and have a lot of human x alien porn in later chapters.

"I don't think I've drank that much yet." Geoffrey grumbled, clutching the neck of the whiskey bottle like an old friend as he wavered in its ascent to his lips. He'd only been nursing it for half an hour since he'd wandered away from Carl after their impromptu spat. The "family" dinner turned bitter after the elder man started in on another one of his tangents about Geoffrey's wastefulness in regards to time and energy.

_'You could do so much more with your life if you'd only apply yourself, Geoff! Instead you just sit idly by as the world moves on. You have so much untapped potential and you're letting it rot!'_ Carl had nearly shouted in parental outrage, the same old song and dance that's trotted around Geoffrey's head since middle school when his adoptive father caught him playing hookie just to read comics with his mates and avoid math class.

He was a grown ass man, mind you. He curled his lips back in a sneer of disgust, hyper aware of how many times this same argument had come up at every inappropriate opportunity and left Geoffrey feeling bitter and resentful. Nothing he did was good enough. 

He busted his arse through high school but because he failed to make honors, he obviously hadn't _applied_ himself. He slogged through college and got a generic bachelor's degree in bonafide bullshit and tumbled out of there with less knowledge and more student debt than he could handle, stumbling his way into a nine to five job with thankless hours, an arsehole boss and obnoxious coworkers that make him want to scream his head off. Being cooped up behind a desk facing the endless complaints of total strangers was never his dream in life and yet, here he was, struggling to pay his bills and getting his ear chewed off by his adoptive guardian about how much of a failure he turned out to be. 

Not much drove him to befriend a bottle but as of late, he and the glass vessel had become far closer than he'd like to admit as he relished in the familiar burn down his throat. Maybe drinking in a public park wasn't the most appropriate place to indulge in his bad decisions but he was too far past caring. Even as the bright lights fell on his shadowy seat perched at a public table with the paper sack wrapped bottle clutched in his grasp. His cheeks warmed in combined embarrassment and the friendly flush of alcohol racing through his veins. If it was the bobbies come to squawk his ear off as well, he may as well enjoy the moment as he added one more disappointment to the very long list that made up his life.

He squinted against the bright white lights that he had previously mistook as search lights. It wasn't until he realized they were beaming down on him from above that it clicked in his inebriated mind that these weren't police lights. Something oddly shaped hovered above the tree line causing a slight breeze to rustle the leaves in a crowded shush before the light exploded and his vision whited out entirely. He dropped the bottle from his grasp, the glass shattered at his feet, a sound that nearly escaped him through the panicked beat of his heart in his chest as he felt an unseen weight drape over him and pull him towards the blinding ray.

As quickly as it came, everything went dark as his body came to rest in a warm pitch black space. He felt the cooler surface hard against his back, the slight chill crept through the seat of his jeans and the back of his carhartt jacket as his body relaxed in mild relief. Despite this, his stomach jerked in protest, feeling more like it was actively doing somersaults to spite him as the booze in his guts revolted in one painful lurch. He barely managed to keep it down, focusing on breathing as he groaned and closed his eyes, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose as he massaged the corner of his eyes with growing frustration.

"Could this night get any worse?" He mumbled to himself. He didn't expect an answer as silence crept over him like an eerie unwelcome blanket but he couldn't muster the energy to care or explore where exactly he was. The intoxicated part of his brain decided that a nap was apparently the more preferable action to take at the moment to which Geoffrey clumsily agreed. Whatever was going on, that was future Geoffrey's problem and hopefully future Geoffrey will be slightly more sober though probably lacking any fucks left to lend in regards to the situation at hand. Oh well.

* * *

  
  


Sober Geoffrey wasn't very happy with drunk Geoffrey's horrible decision making skills as he resigned himself to the inevitable trouble he'd found himself in. Which, at first glance through his throbbing hangover, he presumed this was a hospital. The sterile white walls and floors, the thin sheets draped over his body providing a scant warmth to his aching body and the blinding bright lights that made his eyes water as he squinted past the intense illumination to make out the outline of machines and their glowing monitors. He lowered his gaze to find the familiar plastic tubing of an intravenous line in his arm, carefully taped in place and secured against the inside of his forearm. A small white band was secured around his wrist that he assumed was his patient identifier. He raised his arm to inspect the object thoughtfully, noting it was more technological than he recalled them being but then again, the medical field was becoming more advanced every day. Once upon a time he had to fill out patient forms on a clipboard and now they have computers in every room that keeps track of patient records.

His attention was drawn away by the approaching figure of a tall dark haired man in a plain white uniform. Geoffrey felt dumbly unprepared at the startlingly attractive doctor. A short black beard neatly trimmed and well kept and shockingly pale blue eyes that resembled ghostly jewels that gazed upon the weary disheveled Irishman who stared back with all the tact of a dumb fish, gawking stupidly before he could catch himself. The tender smile offered his direction by the handsome man made the throbbing discomfort temporarily forgotten in Geoffrey’s mind as he continued to stare, heart fluttering within his chest like a spastic hummingbird.

_‘Fuck he’s hot.’_ Geoffrey thought as the man approached the bed and inspected the machine by his side that he assumed was displaying his vitals by all the strange symbols and lines on it.

“How are you feeling?” The rolling timbre of his voice was enough to make Geoffrey melt at how smooth and tantalizing it was to his ears. He looked the type to be well off, maybe so much so that he’d never spare a second glance Geoffrey’s way out on the street had they bumped shoulders accidentally. ‘ _Oh well, least I could dream dammit.’_ He thought to himself with a weary sigh, entertaining future fantasies while he searched for an answer so he didn’t look like a half wit dipshit in front of the doctor.

“Good, could probably be better.” ‘ _-with you in my lap.’_ He bit back the rest of the thought and offered a smile in return as the doctor inspected him with thoughtful concern.

_‘Fuck, was that the wrong thing to say?’_ He wondered as the man took a small device from the front pocket of his uniform, the sleek clothes looked like a strange sort of scrubs, very spartan and thin with long sleeves that hid him in a manner that felt very reserved. Geoffrey’s eyes scanned the subtle outline of muscular shoulders beneath the fabric as the doctor lifted the small handheld device that scanned the bracelet on his wrist. It gave a soft beep in response as the man read the monitor on the sensor.

“Your temperature appears unusually high as does your heart rate.” The man stated. “Are you feeling any nausea or pain?” Geoffrey felt the heat creeping down his neck in embarrassment as he shifted beneath the thin blanket, willing his body to relax. His hangover wasn’t helping as he trudged through the fog of his thoughts for an answer that didn’t sound like a poorly placed attempt at flirting.

"Nothing I can't handle." Geoffrey grunted coolly, directing a small smile in the man's direction. He failed at not flirting, but the attempt was made and the man appeared to either ignore it or miss it entirely. Geoffrey wasn't sure if he was thankful for that or not.

As the doctor inspected him, Geoffrey felt a wiggling sense of nerves spike in his chest. "So whatcha looking for Doc?"

"Nothing as of yet." The doctor answered with a small smile of reassurance. "I'm just going to run a few standard tests to ensure your overall health is well." Geoffrey was nearly lost staring at the man's eyes as he worked, examining the screen before him for a moment more before addressing him again.

The tests themselves were rather simple in appearance though the Irishman was surprised at the fact they never had to leave the room. In fact, there was an abundance of very expensive technology in the room he was in, that which he hadn't noticed right away. It didn't exactly feel normal to him and unless Pembroke Hospital got a sudden extremely wealthy and very generous donor and a massive upgrade in the last few months…..

He watched the doctor carefully, a man, who despite being very charming and everything in a man that Geoffrey could ever want by looks alone, he hadn't actually introduced himself or even asked Geoffrey his name. He didn't even address him by it yet. A fact he noticed the more he started to sober up.

He was wary as the doctor drew a large mechanical arm down from a hidden place in the wall, the small latch opened and it unfolded an almost paper thin screen that was a third of his body size. Just wide enough to go across the bed as the mechanical arm hovered above him.

"Now please hold still." He directed politely.

"What's that fer?" Geoffrey couldn't necessarily help the suspicious sound of his voice.

"It will scan your body system taking an accurate map of your skeleton. A second scan will be able to map out your organs and accurately display any concerning markers." The doctor explained gently before adding. "Arms at your side please."

Geoffrey obeyed, even though the thought made him nervous. The scan made a soft whirring sound as the doctor guided it over his body in a slow and methodical way. When he finished the first scan, he referred to the screen by his side which Geoffrey noticed showed a rendering of his skeleton. 

"You've suffered an injury to your hand recently." The doctor pointed out the very small markers of healed bone on the screen. Geoffrey was surprised and impressed.

"I broke it in an accident." Geoffrey answered, curious now on what else he could find. The answers would surprise him as the man pointed out the wear and tear on certain joints such as his knees, a few vertebrae of his spine as well as his wrists and hands.

"Looks like a whole lot of future arthritis to me." Geoffrey sighed. He already had pain in his hand after the injury when it got too cold out.

"An adjustment to dietary intake could supplement and aid in the prevention of the ailment." The doctor informed him thoughtfully. "If you'd like, I could suggest a few things. Of course after the tests."

"Of course." Geoffrey grunted and examined the screen as it powered down, folded back up and returned with the mechanical arm back inside the latch in the wall.

The room was startlingly quiet which further unnerved him as the seemingly only other soul worked silently by his side. His eyes fixed on the screen before him as he adjusted the scan results and inspected what Geoffrey could only assume were signs or symptoms of some ailment or another. He wondered what could possibly be going on. As far as he knew, this didn't seem like an ordinary hospital, especially one as broke and desperate for support as Pembroke.

_'A private hospital then?_ ' He wondered. _'Or a black market organ harvesting facility.'_

Somedays he despised his overactive imagination and all the horrors it would conjure up. He could only hope that if it were the latter, they'd have the common decency to at least give him the good drugs and make sure he doesn't wake up in an ice bath missing a kidney.

"Your scans are clean, minor discrepancies aside. You are a very fit and healthy man for your age." The doctor informed him with a disarming smile that melted Geoffrey's tension a little bit. He relaxed the tense set of his shoulders that had drawn tight while he was lost in thought. The doctor had already left his side and returned on the opposite side of his bed with a small gun like object in hand that had a prepared and empty vial within it.

"I'm going to need to draw a blood sample as well, if you don't mind." Geoffrey just stared dumbly at the device before his gaze slid to his arm. Maybe it was the hangover or maybe it was the surreal setting he woke up in but it took him a stupidly long time to realize he wasn't wearing his own clothes anymore. A clean white shirt and a pair of thin pants, considerably softer than his jeans and more comfortable than his lazy day sweats replaced them. 

He only noticed when he caught the very short sleeves that barely made it a third of the way down his bicep came into view. The thought of a complete and total stranger undressing him then redressing him shouldn't make his face flush or his pants feel a bit tighter around the crotch like they did now. No sane person would have that reaction at least but Geoffrey couldn't help the jolt of arousal when the thought of _this man_ being the one to do it came to mind.

Maybe he was a hopeless wreck. He mentally sighed in defeat and offered his arm to the doctor who cleaned the injection site with a damp wipe that smelled sharply like sterilizer before the needle pierced his arm. It hurt more than he recalled blood draws ever did and it was just enough to shake him out of his lewd mindset. Just a little.

"Are you alright?" The doctor asked after a moment, brows knitted in concern.

Geoffrey nodded quickly. "Aye."

"Your blood sugar appears a bit low." The doctor noted aloud as he withdrew the filled vial and set it aside. He replaced the needle and the corresponding vial, this time with a clear liquid inside. 

"This will help with your headache." He informed Geoffrey when the Irishman stared at the new vial with scrutiny. "I'll bring you something to eat shortly. Any dietary allergies or risks I should be aware of?"

Geoffrey winced as the needle pierced his skin once more, this time up in his bicep to introduce the medicine into his system. There was a giddy sort of lightheadedness that followed like a head rush but elevated by ten. It hit him hard and fast as he shook his head slowly as if he feared his whole skull would pop off and tumble off his shoulders if he moved too suddenly.

"Wow." Geoffrey huffed, closing his eyes a moment. "That shit works fast." He mumbled. His pain was gone which was an upside but the rest of his body felt like he was simultaneously floating but also submerged. To the point that the thin blanket that draped over him felt like a layer of heavy mud packed in over him.

"Getting something in your stomach will help lessen the effects. I'll return shortly. Just lay back and relax." The man directed, a gentle hand guided Geoffrey back against the pillows that cushioned his head. He blinked a few times, the lights turned low casting a comfortable sort of false shade over the room that tempted him with a nap. He turned his head to follow where the doctor went but the room was already empty and quiet.

His fingers bunched into the blanket in little twitches of motion as he stretched his legs out lazily and stared at the ceiling. Well, he was at least right about one thing. They did give him the good drugs.


	2. Chapter 2

The food was, well, exactly what Geoffrey expected of hospital food. It was bland and tasteless, a colorless unappetizing presence that really only satisfied by occupying the space in his guts to simulate the satisfaction of feeling 'full'. It truly made him wonder if hospitals purposely seek out a unique brand of horrible chefs to fill their kitchens or if this was the standard for all nutritionists and how they cook. It made a heart attack by greasy burger that much more appealing if this was the _healthy_ option.

The doctor remained his only encounter with anyone, which only added to the accumulating red flags that steadily built up in Geoffrey's mind. He had to have been here at least a full day and yet not a single nurse made an appearance. There wasn't a single sound outside of his room, no paging calls or chatter. Not even the sound of squeaking bed wheels or other machinery or the voices of visitors come to see other patients.

"Where am I?" Geoffrey finally asked as the doctor came to check on him once again. With his thoughts clear of the fog from the medicine earlier, he was able to process his concerns and voice them with a sound and certain mind.

"You're in a medical facility." Geoffrey didn't like the way the doctor worded that carefully. The distant tone was poorly concealed behind a half hearted attempt at reassurance.

"Where?" Geoffrey challenged as the machine by his bedside beeped with a sudden spike in his vitals. There was nothing connected to him, no wires or sensors to indicate his elevated heart rate and yet it knew and he couldn't figure out how. Whether this was all some strange dream he was having or something more was at work here. Handsome face or no, Geoffrey would demand answers and fight to get them.

"Sir, please calm down." The man approached the bed as Geoffrey balled his fingers into the bedding and adamantly refused.

"Answer the question." Geoffrey demanded, slipping out of the bed to place space between them. The plastic tube in his arm pulled causing the Irishman to wince. He reached for the IV line and pulled.

"Don't!" The doctor protested as he came around the bed with his hands raised placating to Geoffrey. "Sir, please. Everything will be explained."

"Start explaining now." Geoffrey urged as he winced, effectively removing the line from his arm. Blood fell in dark drops as he held the needle in his grasp, turning it on the doctor when he came closer. He was wary, his eyes followed Geoffrey's impromptu weapon with a leery distance. Geoffrey held it poised towards the man and winced as he shifted in place. His arm ached now, a stupid decision on his part but one he would do again nonetheless if it meant getting answers.

The doctor worried his bottom lip before taking a test step forward. "You're upset. I understand. This all must be so terribly confusing for you-"

"Don't patronize me!" Geoffrey spat as he stabbed at the doctor with the sharp end. He hadn't anticipated actually landing a blow on him, the sharp hiss as the man recoiled back with a wounded inhuman whine, lips drawn in a defensive snarl as he cradled his arm where a lilac purple substance stained the white clothing. Geoffrey was shocked, glancing at the purple fluid on the tip of the needle in his grasp.

He couldn't help but stare as the doctor made a slow retreat back away from Geoffrey. "What are you?"

"I mean you no harm." The man repeated, his wounded arm held up in a silent plea to keep Geoffrey away. His other hand clapped around his sleeve to stem the bloody tear the Irishman left behind. His stomach tightened with a sudden sharp pang of guilt as he tossed the line aside with a noise of disgust.

The doctor glimpsed between Geoffrey and the item with his lips pursed in a thin line of indecision.

"This ain't a normal hospital like you've been tryin to make me think it is." He challenged. "Tell me the truth."

"The truth can oftentimes be unpleasant." The doctor answered warily.

Geoffrey folded his arms over his chest and leveled his gaze upon the odd man. "Keeping secrets and lying is more unpleasant."

The doctor gingerly touched his arm, feeling the dampness under his fingertips as the wound seemed to slow its bleeding. He was still wary of Geoffrey as he shifted uncomfortably by the door. "You're correct in your deduction." He confirmed.

Geoffrey waited eagerly for the man to continue. To which the doctor sighed heavily. "You are not in a hospital or any facility on Earth for that matter."

That wasn't something he had considered he'd hear but the sheer bizarreness of it all was trumped by the man currently bleeding purple like a damn oompa loompa or some shite like that.

"Where am I specifically?" Geoffrey asked with a cautious draw of his words.

The man sighed heavily, inspecting his arm with a brief glance, the only sparing distraction he allowed himself from Geoffrey as he held his ground. "On my ship. I alone manage a research vessel that has been tasked with studying your kind."

"My kind? You mean humans?"

"Yes." The doctor answered, straightening up a little from his defensive stance. "My decided human name is Dr. Jonathan Reid. A name I have chosen when walking among your people. My birth name does not exist in your language unfortunately."

"And what were your people going to do with the knowledge they collected?" Geoffrey prodded a little more firmly on that note.

"We study various beings of various species to decide whether or not they were capable of forming alliances. Your kind had not been a consideration until you've miraculously achieved space travel, though your accomplishments are baby steps, it is still a considerable achievement for a species still so young." Reid explained, gesturing at Geoffrey with an abandoned thought, he shook his head slowly.

"Why me?" It was a valid enough question given how he ended up here. It wasn't like he won the extraterrestrial lottery or anything.

"Coincidence, purely. My A.I unit LISA made the decision. You were just a random choice." Reid slowly rolled his sleeve up until his forearm was exposed, seemingly relaxed now that the aggressive tension bled out of the room. Geoffrey watched as he addressed the small wound on his arm, simply a scrape, nothing severe from the looks of it but Geoffrey presumed it was startling enough to jar the doctor out of his comfort zone.

"You did not react in the way that I expected a human to." Reid prompted after a moment.

"How so?" Geoffrey asked.

"You're far more relaxed than I anticipated." Reid answered simply, gauging the Irishman thoughtfully with a slight tilt of his head. His vibrant pale blue eyes gazed upon the human with a spark of interest.

Geoffrey shrugged. "I'm not exactly considered normal among other humans." He stated though his life felt painfully average to deal with, his interests were far from it. The random fantasy of being swept away by some monster on the edges of the night or finding his fancy in a man who turned out to be a lycanthrope desperate to ravish him under the light of the full moon were wet dreams that visited him frequently in the night. Whether they were for pleasure or an escapist fantasy to avoid the pressures of proper society and all its unyielding demands. He supposed that gave him an upper hand on weird shite.

Geoffrey scratched the back of his neck and glanced around the room as he searched for something else to discuss that would break the awkward quiet. "These tests. What are they for?"

"Numerous uses. Mostly understanding the environment of your planet, its evolutionary traits, your species development and how it would potentially fare in other climates or atmospheres." Reid explained as he gestured thoughtfully at Geoffrey. "For example, should your species ever advance in space travel beyond your moon, I can already think of at least twenty different planets that would be considered hostile or uninhabitable for you. And four in which you would thrive due to how similar the atmosphere is to your home planet."

"Useful knowledge I suppose." Geoffrey grunted.

"Of course. Preparedness is the first proactive step to peacefulness. My species has always been enthusiastic in its goal to maintain a peaceful balance with others. As more species join the path of space travel with advanced technology, they bring forth a multitude of new and unique information that could improve the lives of galaxies in an astronomical scale. We make it our duty to aid in these endeavors to benefit the whole." Reid explained with a brilliant and excited spark in his eyes.

"Sounds like quite the goal. A bit of a dreamer's fantasy." Geoffrey stated, as frank as he was about the topic, it _sounded_ nice but placing such a goal into practice was hard. Hell, just trying to get an entire planet to agree on one thing was like pulling teeth and came with a few hundred centuries worth of wars before even a third decided they would listen and agree. Meanwhile the rest continued to kick and scream like children, stubborn in their ways. He couldn't imagine trying that on a scale of dozens of planets of sentient and intellectual creatures.

Judging by Reid's shoulders as they sank in defeat, he supposed that was exactly the kind of trouble the doctor had encountered.

"It is not an easy path and some species are more, as your kind puts it, bull headed than others." Reid frowned as he worked the phrase silently in his mouth. "Was that the correct usage?"

"Indeed." Geoffrey snorted in amusement. "Where'd ya learn that from?"

"LISA has an extensive network of languages and it was shown that the most common language spoken on your planet is a trade language called English. It is a very complex language to learn. There are so many variations, it boggles the mind." Reid heaved a heavy breath in exasperation.

"Aye." Geoffrey nodded. There was a pause then. "I'm really sorry about what I did to ya."

There was a sound like a hum that came from the doctor. He tilted his head to better address Geoffrey sith both eyes fixed on him providing the utmost attention.

"I thought-" Geoffrey started. "Well, as fucking stupid as it may sound, I thought you were another human that meant me harm."

"Oh? I'm sorry about that. My sincerest apologies." Reid frowned, drawing his gaze away to stare down at himself and the ruined bloody sleeve. "I had assumed that disguising myself as an average human would be more beneficial in reducing stress levels. Did I choose the wrong appearance?"

Geoffrey felt his face warm up in a sudden rush of heat as he shook his head. "Er, no. No no. You did good. A very good job." He stumbled over himself quickly to correct the way his eyes lingered a little too long on the doctor as he reevaluated the look once more. "I just, well, humans as a whole aren't always so kind to one another. There is danger in strangers and your behavior sort of gave away that somethin wasn't quite right. Nothin against ya Reid. You were considerate and attentive but, let's just say that most folk aren't normally like that towards others."

"That is concerning. Is this a normal and expected social behavior?" Reid looked like a kicked puppy with the way he looked at Geoffrey with mixed horror and bewilderment. 

"It didn't used to be like this but people get greedy. They get selfish and aggressive. They hurt other folks, good folks, to get whatever they want. Even hurt loved ones sometimes." Geoffrey shook his head, a sullen weight settling on his shoulders as he felt the residual ache, a phantom of far too many years, resurface in the face of these thoughts. 

"As fucked up as it is, I'd sooner trust my life to an alien from outer space than my next door neighbor." Geoffrey put it frankly.

"Judging by your tone, that's a negative statement. From what I know of neighbors in human society, they are supposed to support the community as a whole. Is this not the way?" Reid closed the space towards Geoffrey as the man took a seat on the edge of the bed and shook his head. 

"Depends on where you are. Some folks are still genuinely good people. Some are just… well, they change." He added with a heavy sigh at the end. "Just know I'm real sorry for hurting you, Reid."

"Please, call me Jonathan." The doctor corrected gently. He adjusted the sleeve on his arm to show off the injury to Geoffrey, or the lack thereof of what remained. Just a purple stain on his clothing and the slight dried smears clinging to his arm hairs. Barely a pink line remained to show that any skin had even been broken.

"Damn." Geoffrey's eyes widened in surprise. 

"I am more durable than you may expect." Jonathan purred pleasantly before he paused. "It just occurred to me that I don't recall obtaining your name. If you would do me the pleasure, sir?"

"McCullum." Geoffrey answered. "Geoffrey McCullum."

"Mr. McCullum-"

"Nah, just call me Geoffrey. I don't give a rats arse about that fancy toff shite." He waved dismissively at the honorific and smiled, a warm and genuine smile. "It's a pleasure to properly meet you Jonathan. Alien and whatnot."

"The pleasure is all mine Geoffrey." Jonathan purred once more and accepted the very mundane handshake from the doctor. Judging by the awkward placement of his fingers, Geoffrey couldn't help but laugh and direct Jonathan on how to do a proper human handshake.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope yall are enjoying the story so far. This is going to get a lot deeper into the lore of Jonathan's species and the world building of it. Please if you like what you've read so far, comment and kudos down below. It's much appreciated!

The ship was much larger than Geoffrey expected for just one person on board at all times, but as Jonathan had explained, much of the operating systems were handled by an AI unit he called LISA. Which LISA could be accessed at any point in time around the ship, something that Jonathan displayed when he spoke up in the hallway.

“LISA, have I received any new transmissions from home?” The doctor was just fixing the sleeves on the shirt he had just changed into, and discarded the damaged one into a container that Geoffrey couldn’t tell was a laundry basket or a waste disposal.

The hallway filled with a soft melody like chime before a generic feminine voice started speaking to them. “ _ You have one message from your childbearer. Would you like me to play it? _ ”

“No. Thank you LISA.” Jonathan sighed, a small yet sad smile balanced on his lips as he finished buttoning the sleeve and straightened it out.

“Childbearer?” Geoffrey couldn’t help his curiosity.

Jonathan paused in his steps to address Geoffrey with a smoothed expression, dismissing the bittersweet look that was in his eyes just a moment ago. “What you would call a mother in your language. She was the one who brought me and my womb sibling into this world. One of the carers that raised me.”

“So your parents.” Geoffrey reasoned.

“Yes.” Jonathan nodded. “Though more than just my blood birthers raised me. All the adults in the den helped. The homegivers and the denmates.” Geoffrey was confused by that statement which he supposed Jonathan noticed as he elaborated.

“Homegivers are what would be considered the adult males of your species.” Jonathan explained.

“The fathers or I suppose also Uncles and Grandparents.” Geoffrey added to which Jonathan nodded in agreement.

“Yes. Denmates are other cubs or young that were born in the den with me and my wound sibling and are being raised with us.”

“Cousins, nieces, nephews, older or younger brothers and sisters…” Geoffrey trailed.

“Yes, yes. That is exactly so.” Jonathan chimed. “A den is a family unit that helps raise cubs together, whether they are your blood born young or not.”

“Do you miss your mother?” Geoffrey asked as they walked down the quiet halls. The ship halls were narrower than the Irishman had thought causing them to walk one at a time through the corridor. There appeared to be several entrances on the inner wall or left side of him but when he glimpsed at them, they were all locked with a red light above the entrance. The walls were a sleek metal that appeared seamless and polished. The floor was possibly the closest he could estimate to hospital tile but the sound was far too quiet under his bare feet and far warmer than he expected. It was comfortable. The temperature was regulated and the lighting was a softer tone, not too bright with all the lighter tones in the halls. Muted just enough for sensitive eyes. He wondered if it was intentional on Jonathan’s part.

“I do. I miss all of my denmates and my womb sibling.” Jonathan admitted with a small sigh. “We were not meant to be voyagers, my people that is but our hunger for knowledge was rivaled only by our need for companionship. We supplemented that by providing assistants like LISA to help us integrate better to the taxing lifestyle of isolated travel.”

“I see.”

“What about you, Geoffrey? What is your family unit like?” Geoffrey stopped in his tracks at the question, giving a small shrug of his shoulders in answer. He knew Jonathan couldn’t see the gesture as he bit his bottom lip in thought. The doctor seemed to notice the absence at his back and turned to face the Irishman with a raised brow.

“Are you alright?” He inquired gently.

Geoffrey bounced one shoulder in a half hearted shrug and nodded. “Yeah, just trying to find the right way to explain what my situation is like.”

“Oh?”

“I don’t live with my birth family. They’re not around anymore but I was raised by a man who took me in. He adopted me, treated me like his own flesh and blood son.” He worded it carefully though this conversation just put a sourness in his thoughts as he was reminded of the last thing he and Carl spoke of. The spat wasn’t necessarily pleasant and maybe he overreacted a little in the end. He sighed and carded his fingers through his hair, causing the locks to scatter into every which direction.

“It is not unusual for dens to take in unwanted or lost cubs. It is unlikely that a cub would be abandoned but should something terrible happen to its denmates, it will be taken care of by another den.” Jonathan explained simply, taking a step towards Geoffrey as he placed a gentle reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Even a found family is just as important as a birth family. The Maw’veh have a strong belief in such practices.”

“Maw’veh?” Geoffrey had to work the sound in his mouth a little to mimic how Jonathan said it. It felt unusual and very close to replicating a cat’s meow.

“My species.” Jonathan corrected.

“Speaking of, you mentioned before that you disguise yourself as a human. What do you normally look like?” Geoffrey folded his arms over his chest expectantly, as Jonathan offered an awkward smile at that.

“Oh, um. Well.” He cleared his throat and Geoffrey swore there was a sudden flush rising across his face. It was faint but there as a rosy color dusted his cheeks. “I suppose I should turn back.”

Geoffrey raised a brow at that, his curiosity a little nervous about what sort of monstrosity the man could be beneath the human ploy he bore. If he didn’t know any better, he suspected that Jonathan was shy about turning as he fidgeted with the buttons on his sleeves. A stray thought stole into Geoffrey’s mind as he watched the man unbutton the front of his shirt and loosen his clothing.  _ ‘I wouldn’t mind seeing it all coming off.’  _

He quickly dismissed the lewd thoughts that seemed to have decided they were today’s default though that shouldn’t seem too much of a stretch when he spent much of his freetime fantasizing about far more unrealistic occurrences. 

His attention snapped up when Jonathan’s skin started to ripple and squirm. It was, to put it simply, very unnerving and sort of disgusting to watch. The odd uncomfortable noises that followed made Geoffrey’s toes curl and his skin crawl in sympathetic discomfort. After a few minutes, the posh speaking human doctor was now a very large bipedal and extremely fluffy humanoid snow leopard. Complete with a large fluffy tail which Jonathan had to adjust his clothes to help navigate the body part through a patch in the back of his trousers where it could sit comfortably. The pale blue eyes were more like ice now as the pupils adjusted to the light and focused on Geoffrey.

_ ‘Well fuck.’ _ The Irishman chewed on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. “Can I pet your fur?” That wasn’t the first thing he intended to say, but fuck it. He looked incredibly soft and if he was about to get mauled by a giant cat man, he would do so with the daring to pet the alien kitty’s belly.

Jonathan’s ears perked up at the question as he purred. “Certainly.” When his lips parted to speak, Geoffrey could see the sharp incisors of an apex predator but that didn’t stop him as he reached out to pet the top of Jonathan’s head. The doctor tilted forward to make it easier for Geoffrey to reach as he brushed his fingers through the shorter grey and black speckled hair around his ears. Larger tufts sprouted from the ears themselves and he had long sturdy whiskers that twitched with a soft pink nose that Geoffrey couldn’t help but stare at. The steady rumble in the doctor’s chest only encouraged him more, stroking his fingertips along the bridge of Jonathan’s snout.

“You are so soft.” Geoffrey blurted in disbelief. “Ya know, humans are more likely to risk death to pet somethin if they know it is soft. I would’ve rather ya kept yer original appearance honestly than try to approach me as a human. I know it don’t make much sense but humans are stupid like that.”

“Duly noted.” Jonathan chuckled.

Once Geoffrey was able to extract himself from petting Jonathan, they continued their walk to, well, Geoffrey wasn’t really sure where Jonathan was taking him. He didn’t realize it until they reached a door at the end of the hall that once opened appeared to be both a flight deck and the doctor’s living quarters. It was large, spacious and had a console on the far wall with a series of screens and buttons with a single seat before it. Where the console was, the walls came together to make a sort of cockpit he supposed around the seat. Where they stood by the doorway, he could see what he assumed was considered a bed judging by the mounds of furs, multicolored blankets and cushions covering it. It was large enough to fit three or four people comfortably at once.

“I lack secondary accommodations for you but I don’t mind sharing my private space with you. I find it would prove more beneficial for my research.”

_ ‘Ah, yes. Forgot about that.’  _ Geoffrey had been a bit distracted by the literal alien in front of him that he hadn’t necessarily taken into consideration that he was a temporary lab rat. At least he hoped it was temporary. He may have fantasized a time or two about something like this but fantasy was far more pleasant than reality.

“So, you mentioned that you’re here to study humans. What uh, um, does that all entail?” Geoffrey stood awkwardly as he perused the edges of the room, slowly inspecting his surroundings as Jonathan stood near the circular bed nest thing in the center. There were shelves of books secured in cabinets along the walls. Vials and bottles in similar cabinets held by individual contraptions to ensure they didn’t jostle or fall. There were hand drawn diagrams of various beasts Geoffrey recognized from Earth, next to what he assumed were samples of different plants that were drying or enclosed in small glass containers filled with fluid.

“Observation mostly.” Jonathan started, taking a seat on the edge of the nest as he stretched his legs out. Geoffrey noticed the doctor had feline traits on his feet, soft paw pads on the bottoms and long sharp claws that retracted and extended as he flexed. But they were humanoid in their shape, allowing for more balance and stability as he walked about on two legs. Geoffrey wondered if it was an evolutionary trait or if they had always been this way.

“I will admit, now that you are aware of the truth, asking questions will be much easier now.” Jonathan sighed tiredly and posted his hands behind his back as he leaned back, crossing his feet at the ankles as his tail flicked and flopped against the bedding.

Geoffrey snorted. “Aye.” He pursed his lips in thought and scratched at his jaw thoughtfully. “Well, humans have this weird assumption about extraterrestrials.’

“Oh?” Jonathan hummed, leaning in with ears perked and ready to listen to what Geoffrey had to say. The thought alone was embarrassing to say aloud as a slight flush rose on his face. “So your species has already considered visitors from another world is possible?”

“Sort of.” Geoffrey cocked a slight smirk as he added. “The majority of the  _ aliens are real  _ folks think yer gonna steal their cows and abduct folks from their beds and probe them anally.”

“What?!” Jonathan blurted, sitting bolt upright. “What? Why? Is that- wait have others come before the Maw’veh and done this?” Geoffrey noted the way Jonathan’s ears tucked back and his tail straightened as he seemed to attempt to grasp onto what the Irishman just said. Shamefully, Geoffrey was amused by the idea of alien anal probing and figured if he was going to die by alien invasion, it might as well be fun he supposed.

“Nah, I don’t think any aliens have actually been here before ya. I mean, aside from the Kardashians.” Geoffrey snickered.

“I have not heard of this race.” Jonathan frowned.

“Consider yerself lucky.” Geoffrey chuckled as he made his way back towards Jonathan and folded his arms over his chest once more. “Humans have overactive imaginations and most of that gets used to make sex jokes and cat videos.”

Jonathan still looked incredibly confused as he stared up at the human, eyes fixed on Geoffrey, shiny in the light of the room causing a kitten eyed expression that made Geoffrey’s fingers twitch, eager to touch again. “Humans have a strange way of expressing themselves it would seem. Or maybe I don’t understand fully.”

“Nah, it's not just you. Humans are weird.” Geoffrey took a cautious seat next to Jonathan, wary on whether or not the move was the right one. Jonathan didn’t appear to mind, if anything he adjusted his posture to get closer to Geoffrey. A subconscious action maybe, but Geoffrey appreciated the slight tickle of the Maw’veh’s fur against his arm and the gentle bump of his tail against the Irishman’s back.

“Ya want information. I’m curious about your species as well. I propose a trade.” Geoffrey offered after a moment.

“A trade?” Jonathan was intrigued as he turned to glance at Geoffrey. He smiled back and gave a curt bob of his head.

“Aye. For every question or task you ask of me, I can ask one from you as well. A fair trade of knowledge.” 

“That sounds like a pleasant agreement.” Jonathan chimed. “I see no reason why not. I agree.”

“Awesome.” Geoffrey smirked and held his hand out to Jonathan in a shake. The feel of the Maw’veh’s paws in his grasp sent a shiver through him as fur tickled his skin. The softer pads on Jonathan’s hands were both rough and squishy, causing Geoffrey to linger his touch a moment longer as he inspected the human-like hands. This was certainly going to make for an interesting time.


End file.
